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A non-apology apology, sometimes called a backhanded apology, empty apology, nonpology, or fauxpology, [1] [2] is a statement in the form of an apology that does not express remorse for what was done or said, or assigns fault to those ostensibly receiving the apology. [3] It is common in politics and public relations. [3]
A backhanded (or left-handed) compliment, or asteism, is an insult that is disguised as, or accompanied by, a compliment, especially in situations where the belittling or condescension is intentional. [12] Examples of backhanded compliments include, but are not limited to: "I did not expect you to ace that exam.
When given a task she immediately figures out the easiest and quickest way to complete it. This tends to make her highly efficient.” —S. J. Garner, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. These funny compliments ...
Backchannel communication is present in all cultures and languages, though frequency and use may vary. For example, backchannel responses are not only a key component of oral languages but they are also important in sign languages. [8] Another example is Germans produce smaller backchannel responses and use back channel responses less ...
Negging ("to neg", meaning "negative feedback") is an act of emotional manipulation whereby a person makes a deliberate backhanded compliment or otherwise flirtatious remark to another person to undermine their confidence and attempt to engender in them a need for the manipulator's approval. [1] The term was coined and prescribed by pickup ...
Circumlocution (also called circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, kenning, [1] [dubious – discuss] or ambage [citation needed]) is the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea.
For example, the ad copy for New Line Cinema's 1995 thriller Se7en attributed to Owen Gleiberman, a critic for Entertainment Weekly, used the comment "a small masterpiece." Gleiberman actually gave Se7en a B− overall and only praised the opening credits so grandiosely: "The credit sequence, with its jumpy frames and near-subliminal flashes of ...
In an ordinary English clause, the subject is normally the same as the topic/theme (example 1), even in the passive voice (where the subject is a patient, not an agent: example 2): The dog bit the little girl. The little girl was bitten by the dog. These clauses have different topics: the first is about the dog, and the second about the little ...